Wagner Motorcycle Company
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Wagner Motorcycle Company (1901–1914) was established in
Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...
, by George Wagner as an offshoot of the former Wagner Bicycle Company. It produced approximately 8,500 Wagner motorcycles and was one of the first manufacturers to position the engine low down, using a "loop frame" at a time when most companies were producing high-engined
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
clones. The
push rod An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located b ...
engines ranged in size from 15 cubic inches in 1904 to 29 cubic inches by 1911, had a suction intake valve and were driven by a V-belt. The vehicles had many unique features not found in other motorcycles of its time, for example, using the loop frame as part of the exhaust system. Prices ranged from $175 to $210. The highly curved frames had brazed bronze fittings and early models had front baskets fitted.


Women's model

In 1909, it produced a women's " drop frame" model which brought the company to national renown in the hands of Wagner's daughter
Clara Clara may refer to: Organizations * CLARA, Latin American academic computer network organization * Clara.Net, a European ISP * Consolidated Land and Rail Australia, a property development consortium People * Clara (given name), a feminine gi ...
, one of the world's first documented woman motorcyclists.Making Her Mark: Firsts and Milestones in Women's Sports. Ernestine G. Miller. McGraw-Hill Professional, 29 May 2002


End of production

By 1914, sales had decreased dramatically, so Wagner sold the company to the Motorcycle Accessories Company.


Bibliography

* Winkowski, Fred. ''100 Motorcycles 100 Years: The First Century of the Motorcycle''. Richard E. Mancini Book Sales, 2003.


References

Motorcycle manufacturers of the United States Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1901 {{motorcycle-stub